


Shortstop

by crna_macka



Series: A Kiss is not a Kiss (Midvale High) [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, Pre-Canon, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-01-28
Packaged: 2018-09-20 11:47:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9489776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crna_macka/pseuds/crna_macka
Summary: Kara breaks up with Jason - nicely, of course.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Follows "[Redux](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5595175)."

Kara breaks up with Jason - nicely, of course, because she really can't bring herself to be mean about it, or confrontational at all. It's the first time she's ever dumped a boy and the first time she's ever felt guilty about a breakup. To make herself feel better, she outlines all of the reasons this is for the best: she isn't pulled in so many different directions with her obligations, her nights and weekends are completely her own again, she doesn't have to feel weird about demolishing two and a half "normal" sized meals in one sitting or leave the table still hungry, she can spend her free time hanging out with Alex who she has definitely been neglecting lately, and she doesn't have to embarrass a teenage boy's ego by going back to dodging his advances.

And it all works out, just like that, except for the Alex part. Now when Kara has free time that she would have given to Jason just a week ago, the older girl is strangely, conspicuously absent. When they walk together in the school hallways, Alex seems distracted, quiet. When the final bell rings, Alex either isn't at her locker or has a quick errand to run, something she has to do and Kara can either wait or go ahead without her, whatever works, Alex doesn't want to keep her if Kara could be doing something else.

"Are you avoiding me?" Kara asks when Alex finally joins her one afternoon. She's grown worried that that might be it, that Alex is upset about how Kara had so little time for her when she was dating Jason, or maybe it's the way she broke up with Jason over something that seems so silly in the end.

Alex seems surprised and truthful when she says, "No?" and Kara tries to explain where the question came from.

"It's kind of my fault for not noticing when I was with Jason, right? I changed our routine without thinking about it, but I swear, I never meant to abandon you -"

"It's fine," Alex says. "We're fine. I'm not avoiding you."

“Oh.” Kara is not convinced. She is confused, if anything, and hesitant to question further. Alex rubs her palms against the tops of her thighs nervously, then changes the subject.

“There’s a softball game tonight.”

“A what?”

Kara knows what softball is, but the statement seems to have come out of nowhere until Alex adds, “I’m going. You can come too, if you want.”

Kara has never been to a school sporting event beyond what is expected for pep rallies and Homecoming. It turns out that the softball field is one of those venues where there are no bleachers for spectators, and the blanket Alex brought is big enough for both of them to sit on, but not cover up. And when she leans into Alex to stave off the cool evening breeze... Alex simply allows it without changing her position to accommodate. Kara stops short of linking their arms.

She _does_ let her head rest on Alex’s shoulder. While some human sports have understandable entertainment value, others - like softball and baseball, or wicket games - are still beyond her grasp. But if Alex likes it, Kara won’t complain; she appreciates that Alex at least invited her to be here.

Kara only knows the game is over when the players on both sides line up for handshakes instead of switching roles on the field. Then Alex unceremoniously extracts herself, shifting foot to foot and letting her attention wander as she waits for Kara to join her.

Or not, Kara realizes. She recognizes the girl at the fence and the quickness in Alex’s step as she approaches her. “Hey,” she hears before tuning out her super hearing. “You looked great out there.”

She picks up the blanket and shakes it out. Folds it very carefully as she considers, maybe, Alex doesn’t know she’s upset about Kara accidentally ignoring her in favor of Jason. There’s a very clear difference between Alex’s demeanor with her friend and her standoffishness with Kara. Kara takes her time to give Alex space, but after a few long minutes, both of the older girls are walking her way.

“I, uh, told Brooke I’d drive her home,” Alex says, looking at the softball player as if for confirmation. 

Brooke smiles and cants her head. Kara can’t help feeling left out when Alex smiles back and straightens, hooking her thumbs in her pockets when she turns to Kara again. “It’s on the way,” Alex adds.

All Kara can do is nod. “Okay, so...” She gestures vaguely toward the parking lot.

It’s weird walking ahead of Alex. Brooke has taken Kara’s usual place at Alex’s side, and Alex doesn’t indicate Kara should wait for them. 

Kara tries to pinpoint the problem in the brief walk to the car and drive to Brooke’s house. She tries to break the details down and analyze, but the way Brooke leans forward toward the back of Alex’s seat as they talk is distracting. Even staring out the passenger side window at the normally soothing night sky doesn’t help.

She’ll have to really make it up to Alex, she decides, when they pull up to the curb in a residential area and Alex all but jumps to help Brooke with her gear. The minutes tick by with the engine idling and Kara planning what she might say, what she might do. Should she give Alex more space? she wonders.

It’s nerves or something - this, she wouldn’t normally do - she doesn’t spy on Alex - she’s just worried and tired - and maybe lets her Kryptonian senses home in on Alex. 

There’s a hedge framing the front porch that hides the girls from anyone on the street without x-ray vision. So really, Kara isn’t meant to see their tangled fingers or the way Alex’s body curls toward Brooke’s when their lips meet. But she does see, and she does notice - she can’t help but notice - it’s nothing like the way Alex kissed her. It’s like what Jason wanted - but easier, more comfortable, and just enough to make Kara’s heart skip a beat.


End file.
